Twelve intrepid people ignored gloomy weather forecasts and visited my Burra Creek hobby block close to the Tinderry Nature Reserve. The day turned out to be fine and sunny with relatively light winds.
The habitat is grassy woodland. The main Eucalyptus species are yellow box, apple box, snow gum, candlebark and broad leafed peppermint. There is a significant stand of Allocasuarina verticillata on a dry north-facing granitic ridge of rocks.
A total of 29 bird species were recorded including a first sighting on the block for this season of a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike. Other highlights included records for Richard's Pipit, Flame Robin and Varied Sittella. Records included Brown-headed, Yellow-faced, Fuscous, White-naped and White-eared Honeyeaters and Eastern Spinebill. Kookaburras seemed to be in greater numbers than usual. No Glossy Black-Cockatoos were seen although there was plenty of evidence of their recent presence in the form of chewed remnants of casuarina seed cones on the ground. A Glossy Black-Cockatoos had been heard calling on the block quite early on the previous morning.
There were further bird "sighting" at lunchtime as we looked at photos of the recent bird trip to Namibia by COG members!
Other "sightings" as we were departing included close views of two Shetland ponies and their young riders on the neighbouring block as well as a roaming border collie - reminders of the mix of agricultural/grazing pursuits with conservation of biodiversity in the Burra Valley today.
Ian Anderson